Getting Ready For The Holidays

Hello everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend. And for all of you in the US happy belated Thanksgiving.  Now that Thanksgiving is over, it is time to start getting ready  for Christmas.

Last week I finished this table runner. I actually started it last year hopping to finish it in time for the holidays. But sadly that didn't happen so I put it away and forgot about it for most of this year. Until last month. I picked it up again and decided to finally finish it and put it to use. Now I'm glad I 'waited' to finish it. Last year I had planned to leave all  the negative space around the stars un-quilted, except for the hand quilting around the stars. However, that turned out to be a bit of a problem. It looked puffy as if the layers needed to be secured better. So I decided to quilt all that negative space with a pebble pattern; something I would never had tried last year (I was terrified of free motion quilting).  It feels really good to finally check this project of my list.

Have a great week!

XX

Martha.

Yay! Started a Honey Cowl

Hello everyone, I hope you had a lovely weekend. I had such a busy weekend, but I made some time to work on a couple of projects I've been meaning to finish for a while. But more on that later... let me tell you about the new knitting project I started. For a while I had been admiring the very popular Honey Cowl, and I finally started one. I'm really enjoying working on this project. I have to confess though, it took me a while to understand how to make the stitch. I must to have read the stitch instructions about twenty times trying to figure it out until it finally clicked in my head :) The stitch is lovely I just love how "puffy" it looks and now that I understand how it works it is actually very easy to knit. I'm really looking forward to finishing this one.

*Linking up to Wool Sundays at Rainbow Hare Quilts and New to Me in 2013 at Celtic Thistle Stitches*

XX

Martha.

Improv Little Stars

I started this quilt a few weeks ago. I had no plan of pattern in mind; I just wanted to sew something. So I pulled some fabrics from my stash and began cutting and piecing. I love the freedom of improv piecing. You never know where it is going to take you. It feels like a little surprise every time you add one more piece to the puzzle. And this time improv piecing didn't disappoint: I'm so in love with how this quilt turned out. It is on the smaller side as it only measures about 30 inches by 40 inches. But even though it is small, I think it the randomness of the piecing gives it so much character. I decided to quilt it with simple loops all over to complement the random piecing. The backing is a cozy super soft flannel I found a my local Jo-Ann. Oh there is something about polka dots... I just can get enough of them 

Now on to start making some Christmas presents. How about you, are you planning a handmade Christmas?

Have a lovely week!

XX

Martha. 

Lately

My knitting craze continues... I finished another beanie for my husband. It is very similar to the one I finished for him two weeks ago (you can see the other one here). However I used a different technique for shaping the crown; I followed this pattern from the Purl Bee. Which results on a cross pattern on the crown instead of swirl. Although, I still can't decide which one I like best...

The yarn is Dark Gray from Lion Brand, it almost looks black but it has these gray speckles that give it a very nice shine and it feels very warm and fussy. 

I've been having a lot of fun knitting, but I've missed quilting too. Today I worked on a little quilt I started a few weeks ago. It is almost finished and I can't wait to show it to you.

I hope you have a lovely week!

XX

Martha.

Knitting Finish: Beanie

Hello friends, how was your weekend? Mine was lovely. I finished the hat/beanie that I began knitting for my husband last week. It was quite the adventure knitting the crown for the hat. I thought that I could get away from using double pointed needles (DPN); they just looked way too intimidating and very difficult to use. But as I started reducing to create the crown it became more and more difficult to knit with with the circular needles. So on Friday I rushed to the store after work and bought a set of DPN. Determined to finished the hat I researched how to use them and found this amazing tutorial from the Purl Bee it explains so clearly how to use them. Anyway, after figuring out how to use the DPN finishing the hat was very easy and enjoyable.  I love watching TV while knitting so I watched a few episodes of Sex and the City while knitting the last rows; I hadn't watch it in a while. It was the episodes when Carrie goes to Paris (the last of the series) and I think my favorite ones. 

I really love the way it turned out and my husband does too. Today was a bit chilly and he decided he was going to start wearing it. It is so soft and cozy. The pattern for the hat is called Regular Guy Beanie and you can download it for free from Raverly. I basically followed the pattern without making any changes expect I made the ribbing a few rows bigger. 

XX

Martha. 

I Think I Got The Knitting Bug

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Around here we have been enjoying the last warm days of the season before the cold weather arrives. But despite the warm weather there is something in the air that feels like fall; the deep colors of the foliage, pumpkins everywhere you look and wanting to knit petty things with cozy warm yarn. I had so much fun knitting the cowl I finished last week (you can see it here), that I decided to start a new knitting project. On Saturday I began knitting a hat for my husband. This a very simple pattern, but it is certainly and exciting one since this is my first time knitting on the round.  I thought it was going to be more difficult, but it is progressing rather quickly. I think I'm going to finish it sooner than I thought.

Have a lovely week!

XX

 Martha.

Knitting Adventures: A new Cowl

What is the difference between an infinity scarf and a cowl? I'm not really sure. I'm  calling this one my Seed Stitch Cowl. It didn't start off as a cowl. Last winter I wanted to start knitting again, so on one of  my trips to Joan's I bought a few sequins of Lion Brand yarn and some bamboo knitting needles. With no pattern in mind I cast off what I thought was going to be a simple scarf maybe with some pompoms on each end and I started knitting and knitting; mostly while watching TV. Knitting is just so relaxing. However, as the scarf started to grow I began to have doubts about the scarf plan I had initially planned. So I decided to take a break until I figured out what to do with it. Well that break was about three  or four months (crazy how time files). Anyway, I decided to finally finish it and make it into a cowl/infinity scarf by joining the ends together. I used a crochet hook to join the ends and the seam is hardly noticeable.
I'm so happy with the way it turned out. I love the yarn and how the color changes depending on the background and lighting. I think I'm ready for winter with my new cowl and maybe to start a new knitting project.
By the way, Mr. Weekend Doings was the photographer for the photo of me modeling the cowl. I think he is a natural with the camera, don't you agree?

Have a wonderful week!

XX

Martha. 

Half Square Triangles and Summer Colors

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a lovely weekend.  I finished this quilt last week; it was a birthday gift for my sister-in-law, so I had to hold off showing it to you until I gave it to her (I didn't want to ruin the surprise). As you know inspiration comes from many places and for this quilt it all started with 

this photo

; the colors feel very fresh and summery and when paired with the white cotton they really stand out. I have been wanting to make a quilt using half  square triangles and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try... and I love it. Half square triangles are so versatile and I have the feeling this won't be the last quilt I make using them.

For the quilting I just did straight lines highlighting the half square triangles. I really like how the quilting shows on the back of the quilt.

I love how this quilt turned out: so fresh and simple... my little summer crush :)

XX

Martha.